For as long as I’ve been reading about movies online, people have been clamoring for a third, Arnold-fronted CONAN flick that would deliver on the promise of the original film’s final frames. We’ve dreamt of directors like Milius and Verhoeven, heard titles like KING CONAN and LEGEND OF CONAN, with nothing coming to fruition. But now, even though he’s coming on 70-years-old, Arnold’s steadfast about depicting Conan’s years as an aging warrior-king.
The Arnold Fans posted a quote of his from a Q&A in Edinburgh last week:
”CONAN THE CONQUEROR, where I’m sitting on the throne for years and years - decades, and then all of the sudden, the time comes when they want to overthrow me. So that story WILL be told and that movie WILL be done…it has been written and we are now looking for directors so this is a serious drive.”
He went on to say that, because he still trains daily, he’s still very much up to the task of doing “the horseback riding, the sword fights, and all the fighting.” And you can bet your Turbo Man doll that I believe him.
I don’t care what it’s called. As long as they get a strong director and a willing Arnold onboard, this Old Conan flick is still as exciting as it was when fans first started whispering about it ages ago. FURY ROAD was a great indicator that you can indeed dust off a 30-plus-year-old property with the original creatives and still have it feel hyper relevant, immediate, and popular with audiences. Of course, Milius or Arnold’s old buddy Verhoeven would still be the ideal choices (though, as we all know, Mel Gibson would knock it out of the park), but it’s likely going to go to someone younger and hungrier, though I daren’t venture a guess as to whom.
Who would you want to direct CONAN THE CONQUEROR?
P.S. So I guess this really means absolutely no one cares to remember the Kevin Sorbo-fronted Robert E. Howard adaptation, KULL THE CONQUEROR, huh? Funny enough, that started out as a CONAN sequel but the character was switched over to Kull when Arnold didn't want to reprise the role. Funny how things change...
